My Sims #1

Chapter 2: New Beginnings and Blooms

It was Monday, August 26, 2013, and the sun was just beginning to rise as Julia and her brother Roger made their way to school. The air was crisp with the scent of summer still lingering, but there was an undeniable excitement about the start of a new school year. "Do you have everything?" Roger asked, glancing at his sister as they both double-checked their backpacks. Julia nodded, making sure her pencils, notebooks, and lunch were all packed. As they walked down the familiar streets of Copperdale, Julia's eyes drifted to Poppy's mom's flower shop, where the colorful blooms in the window caught her attention. The sight of the flowers made her think of the day ahead—full of new lessons and new adventures.

Soon, they arrived at school. Julia took a deep breath as she walked into the building, ready to start 4th grade. She made her way down the hall and stepped into Ms. Rosalyn's classroom, her heart racing with the excitement of seeing her friends and teacher again. Ms. Rosalyn was sitting on her table, looking over some papers. "Hi, Ms. Rosalyn!" Julia greeted with a bright smile, but she quickly noticed something was wrong. Ms. Rosalyn looked up, her usual warm expression replaced by one of concern. "Hi, Julia," she replied, her voice soft. "I'm glad to see you, but I'm afraid we have a small project we need to take care of before we can start class today." Ms. Rosalyn stood up, gathering the attention of all the students as they trickled into the room. "Class, I need everyone's help. We're going to walk to Julia's dad's workshop. My husband, the mayor, needs a new podium, and I'd like all of you to help build it. It will be a good way to start the year by working together." Julia exchanged a glance with Roger, who raised an eyebrow. "Building a podium?" he whispered. It wasn't the typical first day of school, but it sounded like a fun way to kick things off. Soon, Julia and her classmates—Poppy, Violet, Patrick, Buddy, Maria, Vincent, Gino, and Candy—were heading out of the school and making their way toward the workshop. There was a buzz of excitement as they walked together, chatting about what the day had in store. Julia and her classmates left the school, the cool morning breeze brushing against their faces as they set off on an unexpected journey to her dad's workshop. Poppy, Violet, Patrick, Buddy, Maria, Vincent, Gino, and Candy all walked alongside her, their chatter filling the air with excitement. Building a podium wasn't what they expected to do on their first day, but it sounded like an adventure. As they arrived at Julia's dad's workshop, they were greeted by the sound of tools and wood being crafted into shape. Julia's dad welcomed them in, showing the group where they'd be working. "Alright, everyone, let's build something special for Mayor Rosalyn," he said with a smile.

The group got to work, with each of them helping in some way—whether it was handing over tools, helping saw wood, or sanding down the pieces. Julia loved the feeling of working together, and she could tell everyone else was enjoying it too. Roger took charge of assembling the podium, while Julia and Poppy helped with the finishing touches, smoothing out the wood and adding a final coat of polish. When the podium was done, the class took a moment to admire their work. It looked sturdy and polished, perfect for Mayor Rosalyn to use for his speeches. Before heading back to school, Buddy waved to the group. "Hey, do you guys want to see my house? It's just around the corner." The group agreed, and they followed Buddy as he proudly showed them the cozy home where he lived. After a quick tour, they headed outside again, continuing their walk.

As they made their way back toward the school, Julia spotted a bright, colorful flower growing near the path. "Oh, look at this flower!" she said, bending down to take a closer look. One by one, her classmates took turns sniffing the flower, enjoying its sweet fragrance. "Let's collect some leaves too," Roger suggested, and they all gathered a few leaves from the ground, adding them to their collection. A little further along, they found another flower, this one a deep shade of purple. The group marveled at its beauty before gathering more leaves. The simple act of collecting nature's treasures brought a sense of wonder to their walk, and they all felt closer to the earth. Finally, after their little detour, Julia and her classmates arrived back at the school.